Why in the News?

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck Istanbul and surrounding areas with its epicenter located beneath the Sea of Marmara.

About the Sea of Marmara

The Sea of Marmara is a small but significant inland sea in Turkey, acting as a transition zone between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea.
It holds geographical, ecological, and cultural importance, separating Asia and Europe within Turkey.
It spans 11,350 km², it is 280 km long and 80 km wide.
It is connected to the Black Sea in the northeast via the Bosphorus Strait and to the Aegean Sea in the southwest via the Dardanelles Strait.
It receives cold, fresh water from the Black Sea and warmer, saltier water from the Mediterranean, creating a unique fresh-to-salty water transition.
The region experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and cold, wet winters, influencing the marine ecosystem.
The North Anatolian Fault runs beneath the sea, causing significant earthquake risks, including the recent 6.2 magnitude earthquake near Istanbul.
It is home to several islands, including Marmara Island (the largest) and Prince Islands.
The city of Istanbul lies along its coastline.

[UPSC 2014] Turkey is located between:

Options: (a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea (b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea (c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea (d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea